The reforestation of waste land with wild edible fruit trees

Ngalengshim Ngashangva, RA Ransing, OT Ramshan *

Plant trees.. :: Pix - Jinendra Maibam (June 2010)

It is repeatedly told by our elders that our surroundings were once populated with wild animals and birds amidst the dense forest and how their homesteads, field crops and harvest were invaded and destroyed. Those encroachments were the initial sign of the beginning of forest destruction, herein their habitats had been threatened.

In the last fifty years, the landscape and vegetation pattern have changed their structure in the comportment that they described the surroundings. They had close relationship with environment and their needs were mostly derived from the forest and its products. The forest products include timbers, fibers, fodders, wild fruits, humus, microbes, edible wild vegetables, medicinal plants, flowers, edible insects, honey, birds and animals.

It also served as the genetic pool of birds and animals which have been observed in the cross breeding progeny of cats and in the domestic fowls. The importance of a tree can be drawn from a corn plant which transpires about 200 litres of water in one growing season. The Forest Survey of India 2015 reports that only a few states like West Bengal, Kerala, Orissa and Karnataka are able to increase their forest covers while it is reducing in the North Eastern states at an alarming rate.

Now, it's identified, particularly in Phalee village, Ukhrul District that the deforestation, population pressure, construction works, shifting cultivations, wild fire, cash crop cultivation, indiscriminate hunting and trade of timber and firewood have caused tremendous damage to the forest, soil, water, and flora and fauna.

Specifically, fire wood cutting system in the village caused inexplicable damages to the forest. These activities traumatize the regeneration and carrying capacity of the soil which have been exacerbated by the global climate change. It also stimulates migration and immigration of many insects which furthermore cause diseases and pests infections on crops, plants, fishes, animals and human too.

However, it is observed that cows and buffaloes herding are promoting plant growth in meadow which is scientifically intelligible as their hairs are the carrier of seeds and thereby promote seed dispersal and initiate vegetation succession. The continuous forest degradation has been compounded by the ignorance, traditional outlook, pressure of livelihood and the lack of proper laws and regulations on conservation.

The remedial measures would be reforestation along with legislation on conservation, protection, nurturing, utilization, accessibility and stability of forest. It's also noted that land ownership system has enormous answerability on preservation and protection of forest.

It is observed that only the privately owned lands and some pocket of reserved areas are green at the moment which signifies the importance of meticulous maintenance and preservation. Most of the village lands have become open forest without dense forest canopy. The success of individual efforts on forest conservation are seen on few villages, for instance Patkai Christian Academy in Ukhrul and some of the newly started organic orchard in Phalee and Teinem village.

It is in this context and realization that the sustainable small-size reforestation programme based on conservational use with native wild edible fruit trees has been emphasized. It's an in-situ conservation through social forestry to sustain our nonrenewable natural resources. It will increase the property values and add new assets. It's granted that environmental consciousness is one of the utmost social conscience in our present generation. Moreover, it's a response to Millennium Development Goal, Food Security and Global Climate Change Mitigation from the village community level, at an individual capacity.

The immediate benefits of the reforestation programme would be the awareness on the environmental utility and its significance for our sustainable development. It will as well connote the positive impact of our caring interference and improve the local microclimates. Moreover, forest products are complementary to agricultural activities which rightly act as safety net in times of unemployment period, lean season and as a hunting ground for family needs. It will restock the empty waste land by sustaining the bio-diverse ecological niche.

It is a preliminary step for restoring balance ecosystem which will consequently increase the water availability, humidity and also stabilize the temperature which are the important abiotic factors for improving plant growth. This will protect soil erosion and enhance fertility. Humus content will also increase which is one of the main source of organic fertilizers and fish feeds for the wet paddy fields on the down hills. It will also supplement the nutritional values of the community by increasing the productivity and enhance the access to high nutrient and diverse diets.

A few plant species are selected, native to the village, which lies in the tropic region of the world climate and located in Manipur hills wherein the hill ranges run in North to South direction. Some of the flowering plants selected for the Model Agroforestry System are walnut, chestnut, wild olive, prunus sp., sapindus sp., quince sp., ficus sp., palash, cherry, wild pear etc. in which their economic, nutritional and medicinal values are utilized frequently.

Moreover, they have the aesthetic values and some of their flowerings have been looked upon as the harbinger of spring season in the hill villages. They also attract bees and other economically valuable insects.

It's also learnt that they usually grow with shrubs and herbs which have been used by ancestors as medicines for human and domestic animals. This reintroduction of flowering plants will also restore the natural habitat of some wild animals and birds like mole, squirrel, and wild chicken.

The main impediment to establish sustainable agroforestry systems would be the prolong task of the conservation and preservation. Moreover, the gradual outcome and prolong gestation period of the flowering plants in the agro-forestry system may convey bleakness to people who are struggling for livelihood. Since the work nature and income from forest and its products are informal, its working condition and contribution may entail proper assessment.

Furthermore, on Global Climate Change Mitigation, South East Asian countries have a huge potential for CO2 buffering forest cover, and in particular the North Eastern states of India in which we live has enormous potential for landscape reforestation and forest cover extension. Most importantly, the forest area must be treated as a living biological store house.

It will also serve as a potential genetic resource for tree breeding programme in the adjoining villages. Moreover, the edible plants and their products have great economic values and highly linked with the socio-economic development of the village community. It is also meant to create photosynthetic pool and the CO2 sinking zone to counter the environmental degradation.

Additionally, it is highly recommendable to institute generous reward from government or organization to those who made good works on environmental issues, and to uphold the importance of sustainable environment for the mankind.